New Zealand man goes on trial in Cambodia over sex with underage girls

September 24, 2010

A man from New Zealand has gone on trial in Cambodia over allegedly having sex with two young girls. 53-year-old Michael John Lines was arrested at a hotel in the province of in March. Lines holds dual citizenship from New Zealand and Australia.

The trial took place behind closed doors and lasted a day. Lines was tried on charges of procuring an underage child for sex. Judge Duch Kimsan said he will announce his decision in the near future.

In the past few years Cambodian police and the courts have begun to crack down on foreigners who travel to Cambodia seeking sex with young girls from poor areas.